Motor vehicle



Aug 14 i945 F. R. MGFARLAND 2,382,246

MOTOR VEHICLE Filed March 27, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l m www Aug. 14, 1945.

F. R. MGFARLAND MOTOR VEHICLE Filed March 27, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mln l INVENTOR.

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p i, 4 8`f`C1'arns".` Thisv invention. relates. to motor vehicles,A and more particularly tothemounting of drive shafts. The driving axle structure. of, motor vehicles includes a housing, carriedby *springsV secured `to the.frame, and adrive'pinon shaft mounted in and projecting` from thehhousingd. The change speed mechanism includes-a housing mounted to rock on the frame `but -restrainedfrom any substantial longitudinal4 movement. They change speed mechanism housing carriesatail shaft, and a drive or propeller shaft is connected to the tail shaft and the pinionshaft byniniversal joints.

The propeller shaft of anaveragewheel base vehicle is formed asa rigid structure but inthe longer wheelbase vehicles it is necessary toform the propeller -shaftzinttwo sections connected by' a universal joint.-r `The shaft section adjacent the talshaft is carriedbya bearing flexibly mounted on'a supporting member extending transversely of the vehicleframe and flexibly connected therewith. These'A exiblenmountirlgszor; the bearing' and supporting 1memberallow1'some movement of the bearingftowardwa propernalignment when there isrun-,out :or '.unbalance of the' supported shaft section, but this movement has been restricted by` high vcompression l.of f the flexible mountings Withgthe result that shaft disturbance passes through the stiff, flexible/mountings tothe frame andxbodyv producing? undesirable sound effects.. j] l i L "....l El." 'fl f An object of Vthis -invention;:is toy provide a mounting for supporting a. sectional propeller shaft in proper alignmentI thatis connected with the vehicle frame by, a-fsupport having Vcontrolled flexibility Within limits regardless` of l manufacturing variationsfinthe framestructure. Another object of the'lnvention is tol reduce vibration in'a motorvehiclecaused byunbalance of a jointed propeller shaft. o A l Another object of; thefinvention isto provide a flexible connection between a vehicle frame and a propeller shaft bearing support that will i reduce vibration resulting `fromunbalance of the shaft. Other objects of, the `inventionlwillrappear from the following.-l description taken in connection with the drawings,` 'whichlforma part of `this specificatio'nyin which:` '1

Fig. r1 isfa planview of aimo'tor vehicle chassis havingthefinventionincorporated.therewith; i Y i Fig. 2 isalsectionalview takenfon line 2-2fof Fig. 1 showingthe bearing. supporting. member at-i tached to the vehicle frame;4 i i Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken online 3 3 of heafpropellerv shaft bearingl and brace' structurel consisting l of I members l 3 .se-

cured togetheratgtheir junction byfa gussetistruce ture; |4. \:Front wheelsqil `areconnected to-lthe framejbyrlinks-IG andzare steered by mechanism extending. through. column 111. z and connected VVto handwheel 1.82 Ll-.sgf i 'L t .-.A11 engi ne9 is mountedon the front end of lthe frame and change :speed gearing; of conventional designis carriedin a housingil fixed to the rear end ofthe enginelf-v 1 fI-heengine-land gearing hous-l ing are mountedxin.amconventional:manner to permit limited rocking transversely of theframe butsubstantiallydixed initheir positionlongitudinally ofthe framapfa Therear-whe'els 420 are driven by ,Conventional axle 5 wllrlechanism vcontained in housing 2,1 that is; connected: to springs. 22 connectedat theirfendsto theframe. l A tail shaft 23 is carried byfandprojects from the reanendgofthe; change lspeed gea-ring' housing andl a; pinion driyeshaft; 24 .is mounted in and extends forwardly; from` the axlehousing. .Between he talrand pinion` shafts extendswa` drive or propeller, shaftconsisting of two sections 25 and '26 connected @by universaLjoint 21 Y Section "25 is connectedtwith the tail shaft by; universal joint 28 and section-Ziis connected fwithl he pinion shaft by universaljointZSi. 1 1 f The` propellerfshaft sectionv 2,5.is rmounteduin a center: bearing?. 0 vsupported *on aicarrier member 3 I located preferably tto the rear ofguss'et` l 4; The rear end of the shaft" section `:25'fisreduced and splined f to` :receive: a .porton"` of;` univ'ersaatlv joint 21 andpa bearingtrace ='32.-islm'ounted forwardly of such iportioinpfuthe universal jointl Balls2 33 are arrangedf betweenxracerSZl andfian uouter race 34;: and thel outer raceris partiallyencased by a' rubbeni bearing ring 35.A mounted-"iin a sleeve memberwhaving-.arms fixed tol the ycarrier memberzlwbybolt's 31. VThefperipherylof the rubberfringtjis curved t-reduce`l`the4 surface subjected: to compression force' oppc'isingI an# gular movement of". the 'Spropellerl shaftl section. A nut 38 is appliedto the rear end oftheE propeller" shaft section to: retain the universal joint thereon v eter than the end and which will in turn position the bearing longitudinally on the shaft section. Suitable guard .l cent frame members I3 and have openings 4|'-.

therethrough. Bolts 42 project through operi-ffl ings 4| and corresponding openings 43 in .frame members I3. Insulators are` mounted 0n the bolts and are formed of tubularrubbervxed 'n an interior sleeve 44. v n

is formed of a single piece of rubber 45 having a central peripheral p0rtion 46 of smaller diam? lauarrangedend .toend'` The'zrlng 148 has the end adjacent ring." xneducedin diameter Ato form a recess 4B., The lsmaller' diameterportions of the insulators are` substantially they same diameter as the openingslfmllthe sides lof the car-- rler member v.and have .a sliding` fit therewith when assembled with the frame and carri-er mem; ben: y; .i

The insulators are clamped to the frame members lt3 by washers .5.8 engaged by .nuts 15| screwed on bolts A2, The: adjustment of nuts 5I will regulate the compressionlof the insulators. The insulator -45 can be compressed' between the frame and the washer while the insulator memberllislsiclwniin Fig. 5 can rbe compressed between fthe washer and the fadacent carrier member side. In order to compensate for'variations in the length lof carrier members and the ldistance between framemembers to whichA they are to be attached, mesulting from manufacturing inaccugiacies, washers or lshims r-.60 ican be jinserted between frame members l3fand the insulators.

7With both forms .of Vthe invention, the carrier member shift transversely vof the vehicle on the :smaller diameterportions lof the insulators. 'llhe--aszesosfithe insulators extend normal to the side portions of -the/carrier 4member so that the carrier: member can :shift transversely of the frame without'interference other than by `predetei-mined controlled flexing. With the form of the invention shown in Eig. 4l=there `can 'bea limited range. .of free movement and controlled :flexible resistance, regulated 'by the Aconflpression of the insulator, to further movement of thecarrier .member beyond they Af-reerange of movement. With. the term vof the .invention shownin Fig. 5, transverse movement ofthe carrier member will heir-ee to a vlimited extent withfr'espect to the insulators vat one, side but restrained by compres- Simi 0f :rings 4.8.of Vthe insulators at the other side., thecompression of the rings at one side offesi-ng relatively low resistance to a small range of tnansverse movementof the carrier member. Referring further to 5, relatively high resistan@ will be olered to a 4larger lrange of transverse movement 4of the carrierpmember. because insulator rings 48 .at one side will A'be further com-pressed insulator .rings A1 iat' thefotherside willbe compressed. .The free movement occurs yat Olie Side. Fire. 5 andatzboth `sides in Fig. ibecause thesmall diameter portions of the insulators are of greater length menthe thiol;- ness .oi thesidespf the carrier'member. u v

. llpprt Will permit theshatt .to bepropportions, while in Eig. ,5. the insulator is formed of two rubber rings 4l and =:the appended claims.

' What is claimed is:

` a vehicle, a Vframe having .transversely spacedmembers, a sectional propeller shaft extending V1.0ngi'tllihally of the frame, a carrier Z:member extending transversely of the frame between the spaced members, a bearing for one of the sections of `fthe propeller shaft, a flexible mounting for the bearing supported on the carrier member, and rubber insulators extending inwardly fromv and fixedv to the 4:frame members on which the sides of @the carrier member are slid ably mountedi said insulators allowing a limited unrestrained movement l of the carrier member transversely of ythe frame and llexibly restricting such movement beyond the unmestrained movement of the .carrier member.

- .2. kIn a vehicle, a frame havingv transversely spaced members: asectional :propeller shaft extending longitudinally of :the frame, a .carrier member extending transversely .oaf the frame between the yspacedmembers aperturecl sideV portions 'parallel to the adjacent frame members, a hearing for' .one .of the section-s of the propeller shaft :ilexiblyimounted on the carrier member, rubber insulators projecting inwardly the 4frame memberslhaving peripheral surfaces of i greater length than .the thickness of 'the carrier member extending through the apertures the sides of thevcar-rier member, the peripheral end 'portions-'of the insulators xemxendlm; radiallybeyond the apertures in the sides iofthecar-rer member, and means se curing :the insulators to the trame members under low compression a vehicle, azframe having transversely spaced membersfa sectional propeller shaft extending longitudinally of the frame; a metal carrier vmember extending transversely between the frame members and having an aperture through which one section of' the. propeller .shaft extends, shearing for said shaft sectonexihly'mounted on' .the 4vcarrier rmember,..eml rubber insulators fixed Aon the trame 'mombers for supporting the sides 'of said carrier member to allowV the Vmember a limited free movement transversely of the frame and an .elastically ,controlled movement tranSVersely tof the frame `beyond the' limits of the free movement. x

1. In ya vehicle, a frame havingtransversely spaced members, a centrally sull-irren@edl carrier member vextending transversely between the frame members, a. sectional. Apropr-:111er shaft extending longitudinally of the framefand through theaperture in the carriermember, insulators xed `to ythe frame members, the i sides of said carrier being mounted on said insulators and freely movable -a limited extent .relative thereto in a direction .transversely ofthe frame, said insulators elastically restricting movement of the carrier member Abeyond the unrestricted range of movement, a bearing ior'one section` of the .propeller shaft, a sleeve surrounding the bearing and fixed to the l.carrier member; and a. Vrubber ring supporting the bearing in the sleeve, said ring having a curved periphery engaging the interior of the sleeve. l

5. In a vehicle having a frame with transversely spacedmembers, a carrier member eX- tending transversely between the frame members having apertured side portions parallel with the frame members, a sectional propeller'shaft, a bearing for one of the shaft sections mounted on the carrier member, a plurality of supporting means for the carrier member each comprising a pair of insulator ring members fixed to the frame members in endv/iserelation andunder low compression, the end of one of said ring members abutting the other ring member having a reduced periphery piloted in an aperture in a carrier ymember side portion, the axial length of said reduced periphery being greater than the thickness of the carrier member adjacent thereto.

6. In a vehicle, a frame, a sectional propeller` shaft extending longitudinally of the frame, a pair of rubber support means xed to the frame,

a transversely extending carrier member mount-` ed on the rubber support means, and a bearing on the carrier in which one section of the shaft is mounted, said rubber support means having portions on Whichthe carrier is freely movable transversely of the frame and other portions opposing tranverse movements of the carrier resulting from vibrational forces developedby the shaft beyond a predetermined magnitude.

7. In a vehicle, a frame having side portions,

a propeller shaft between the frame side portions,

a carrier for the' propeller shaft extending transversely of the frame and having apertured end Walls, rubber insulators secured to and extending inwardly from the frame side portions, said insulators each having innermost and outermost portions of larger diameter and an intermediate portionof reduced diameter substantially the same as the diameter 4of the apertures in the carrier end Walls and projecting therethrough' said carrier end walls normallycontacting the innermost larger diameter portions of the insulators and spaced from the outermost larger diameter portionsof the insulators. i

8. In a vehicle, a frame, a sectional propeller shaft, a carrier member, rubber members mounted on the frame supporting the carriermember for limited transverse shifting movement, and a bearing for one of the shaft members flexibly mounted Von the carrier member, said rubber members exerting relatively low resistance to a smaller range and relatively high resistance to a higher range of transverse shifting of the carrier member resulting from forces developed by unbalance of the shaft.

FOREST R. MGFARLAND. 

